Chapter 11
Fernando drove the carriage. They did not stop at the castle for “scavengers” that Dudian saw. Instead, they continued to the residential district. The carriage, however, halted before the wall that separated the commercial and the residential districts. Dudian would have to get off the carriage and go back on his own.
“Did I fail to become a “scavenger” as well?” Dudian asked directly because he had doubts.
Fernando scrambled back to the carriage, and then impatiently answered, “We already received your results so there is no point in returning to re-check it anymore. You should wait for another few more days and somebody will come over to report. He lashed the whip and the black carriage sped away.
Dudian frowned a little, then turned and began walking down the street towards the Jura couple’s house. Fortunately for him, before he once followed the House of Avril’s carriage before, so he recognized his way back or else he would get lost at this point.
Dudian became very tired by the time he arrived at 108 Lin Kang Street*. His breathing became heavy, his body drenched full of sweat, and his legs sore. Dudian’s body had not recovered properly due to being frozen for so long, so even though the Jura couple’s house was only approximately seven to eight miles away from the wall, it taxed him. As of now, his physical strength was far weaker than what an average child would.
Jura was looking out of the window when she saw Dudian around the street corner. Immediately her eyes lit up, and she quickly went outside with Gray in tow.
“How come that there was nobody to send you off? Why did you return here alone?”
Gray noticed Dudian’s unnaturally fatigued condition. He immediately scooped up Dudian’s worn out, weak little body and hastily re-entered the house. After closing the doors shut, Jura found a cotton towel to wipe Dudian and then asked with a concerned tone, “Are you alright? Did they not like you?”
From Jura and Gray’s reaction, Dudian realized Jura and Gray knew that he was taken from the law school. “How did you know?”
“Earlier, and official came over to inform us that you qualified to join the Guard.” Gray’s face became red as he asked with suspicion, “Did you failed the test?”
Dudian remembered that he had to kept the statuses “Scavengers” and “Hunters” a secret, so he replied, “I passed. In a few days’ time, somebody would be present to report. However, I do not wish to go there, can I refuse?”
If he could make a choice, he preferred to study the law. Dudian had no idea about the current world so he wanted to comprehend few more things before heading outside of the giant wall.
Gray felt relieved. He laughed and said, “Did you not know that many people covet for such positions? Oh, my! Yet, you want to refuse? If you joined to be a Guard, you would not have to worry about eating and drinking for your entire lifetime. The pay is wonderful, and moreover nobody would dare to bully you!”
Jura looked at Dudian softly and asked, “Do you still wish to study the Law?”
Dudian earnestly nodded.
Jura smiled and then said, “If you go over to train, you will also learn the Law. You would not be limited to studying the law, but in fact medicine, geology, sewing, and so forth. It is a comprehensive school.”
“SCHOOL?” Dudian was confused.
There were many people who could not differentiate between colleges and schools! In summary, colleges were specialized, such as Law School, Sewing College, where schools are comprised of multiple colleges, and learn things in-depth.
“There is nothing to worry for! You would learn the Law when you have joined the Guards”. Gray patted on Dudian’s shoulder. He had a wide smile as he continued to encourage Dudian. “I heard that there would be a training camp with elimination. So just concentrate on the camp!”
“Auntie.” Dudian seized the opportunity to speak with Jura, “I would like to borrow some pocket money!”
Jura became surprised momentarily, then smiled and asked, “how much would want to have? I would give it to you! Do not ever talk about borrowing and repaying, for we are family!”
Dudian had prepared beforehand a reasonable answer: “I want to purchase food and return to the slums to visit the children in Meishan Orphanage. I had already intended to borrow from you, visit the orphanage and then later return.”
Jura smiled, and said, “alright”. She took out a wad of green paper notes from her wallet before counting them. She gave Dudian notes equivalent to 100 coins.
Ever since the invention of printing technology ten years ago, Bank of Silva’s management issued huge sums of banknotes. In just few short years, these notes replaced physical coins and have circulated widely to various households in both residential and commercial districts. Everyone gradually grew accustomed to utilizing paper notes for trading purposes. Despite that, people still addressed the amount with the term “coin” even when transactions were done with paper notes.
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“Thank you!” Dudian received the notes immediately and put them into his pocket.
Gray observed this and did not mention anything. He told Jura to prepare dinner.
The next morning.
Dudian woke up early, washed himself and ate breakfast before leaving the house. Even though he did not know when the “Scavengers” would send personnel to pick him up, he knew that he did not have to go to law schools for a few days time.
“Sulfur… …” Dudian vaguely recollected the composition of gunpowder. Back then, it was during festive season when his sister informed him on how to make firecrackers at home. He was not interested in gunpowder, so he could not recall the exact formula other than sulfur.
Dudian did not go to purchase sulfur. He hired a carriage and instead went to the slums.
In the slums, Dudian headed directly to Meishan Orphanage. He passed by the orphanage and then went over four more streets to enter a secluded street. Along the way, he smelled the stench of feces. He also saw rotten carcases of insects. Not long after, he arrived a huge garbage dump. The garbage dump of Silva (city) located precisely in the slums.
There was nothing of value here for anyone.
Because of that, even impoverished individuals would avoid this garbage dump, because all the items that were disposed here have long rotten.
Dudian, despite standing far away could still smell the rancid fetor of feces mixed with the malador of urine. Silva’s excretion problems was solved by directing everything to over here. ?There were seven to eight garbage heaps that stood like colossal mountains. He could not see what was even behind. He scoured around to confirm that nobody else was around. Dudian approached near to a garbage filled area. He then removed a large piece of debris from the area. Afterwards, he bent down, took out a piece of cloth and began cleaning around a small, black hole. It was large enough to accommodate his small, thin frame. ?For him to arrive to this place was not of coincidence.
*The address of the Jura couple
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel